Search : Index : Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Engineering
Excellence in teaching and research combine to make the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Melbourne a world leader in engineering education. This is evidenced by the number and quality of high level research centres and the attractiveness of our graduates in the international marketplace.
The Faculty has been at the forefront of engineering education and research in Australia since 1855. It continues to foster and develop engineering creativity through design and innovation and by strengthening our industrial linkages and community interaction.
The Faculty is made up of six departments (two of which form the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science). All reflect the areas of expertise within the Faculty. These are:
There are 12 Special Centres and Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) with which these departments are affiliated. They include:
The Faculty offers a diverse and varied range of single and combined degrees within all the departments listed above. They are:
The Faculty Office within the Faculty of Engineering houses the Dean, who is responsible for the academic leadership of the Faculty, and the General Manager, who is responsible for the administration of the Faculty. It also houses the Director of First Year Studies, who is responsible for managing the academic programs of first year engineering students.
The Academic Services section within the Faculty Office is of particular importance to first year students, especially for:
The general objectives of the Faculty of Engineering are:
Engineering, Geomatics and associated combined programs have been designated as full-time courses. Students nominating to undertake part-time study should apply at the Engineering Faculty Office, where each case will be considered on an individual basis.
The Bachelor of Computer Science is available as a part-time course (six years part time). It should be noted, however, that there are no evening classes available.
A full-time course load consists of 100 credit points per year or 50 per semester. Generally a course plan of more than 100 points for a first year student will not be approved, although exceptions have been made for students with exceptional TER's. After first year a student would need to apply to the relevant department for approval to take additional subjects.
Honours degrees in Engineering and Geomatics are awarded on the basis of performance in the course. Honours degrees in the Bachelor of Computer Science, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws require an additional year of study.
Please see Credit for previous study.
Students who are not eligible for credit for a prerequisite subject but have completed work considered equivalent, may be granted exemption from that subject. In consequence, students will be eligible to enrol for the second or third year subjects that require the subject as a prerequisite. Students will, however, still be required to complete the normal degree requirements including making up the required number of points.
Please see Community Access Program (for enrolled students).
Students may be eligible for credit towards their degree if they have completed subjects in year 12 through MUPHAS. They may also be awarded credit for approved subjects taken in year 12 as part of another university's extension program. A maximum of 50 points credit at first year level will be awarded for MUPHAS or other extension program subjects. A list of MUPHAS and other extension studies subjects approved for credit is available from the Faculty of Engineering.
All applicants for selection to second year or a later year of the course(s) must lodge an application with the General Manager (Engineering) using an application for admission available from the Faculty Office. The closing date for applications is the first Friday in December in the year preceding that for which selection is sought. The Faculty reviews each application for credit on an individual basis.
The Bachelor of Engineering and the Bachelor of Geomatics are both professional degrees - that is, graduates can get professional recognition by joining the Institution of Engineers (Australia) and the Institution of Surveyors (Australia). These institutions will only accredit courses if certain subjects are studied, hence all engineering courses in each department will have compulsory subjects to be studied at each year level.
All Engineering and Geomatics students must complete 12 weeks of course related work experience prior to graduation in the BE and BGeom. This is an accreditation requirement of the Institution of Engineers (Australia) and the Institution of Surveyors (Australia).
The Faculty's Women in Engineering (WIE) Mentor Scheme provides a support network for female engineering, computing and geomatics students at all year levels. Participants can choose to be mentored by more experienced students or women working in industry. Mentoring is primarily one-on-one, with participants matched according to discipline interest. The mentor's role is to provide advice, friendship, support and encouragement to her less experienced charge. While pairs are free to choose where, when and how often they wish to meet, the Faculty regularly organises get-togethers for participants.
For further information and/or registration, please contact Christine West, WIE Coordinator on 9344 4226 or call in to Room A114 at the Faculty Office.
The Department of Geomatics operates a first year mentoring scheme in conjunction with the Faculty of Engineering. Selected fourth and fifth year students from the Department receive training from the study skills unit and counselling services so that they can work with groups of new students. This program helps first years settle into university life quickly, and assists with study skills development essential for success at the University. It also enables new students to meet students from later years of the course.
This scheme matches first year women in Computer Science with second, third and fourth year mentors. The older students provide support, guidance and friendly feedback, helping to smooth the transition to University.
There are a number of mentoring schemes available to students in the first year of engineering courses. One of these takes the form of a 'Communications Workshop' and forms part of the subjects 421-150 Introduction to Engineering Management or 436-105 Engineering Communications. The academic aim of the workshops is to enhance students' skills in reading and library work and written and verbal communications. The workshops are run in small groups, led by later year students, and structured to encourage first year students to make friends both within their peer group and with the later year students.
The Faculty coordinates a support scheme for international students. The scheme also takes the form of workshops, and in this case led by members of the Overseas Engineering Students Society. The aims are to provide support and information to assist international students cope with the transition to university in a foreign country.
Students in BE, BGeom, BCS or combined courses within the Faculty and who fail 50 per cent or more of subjects in first semester, will be asked to attend an interview. An academic staff member and a student adviser will discuss the situation with the student to find a cooperative solution to the problems that might be affecting their studies.
Students who fail 50 per cent or more of their course in a year, will have their case examined by the Faculty Unsatisfactory Progress Committee. This Committee considers each student's case individually and each student is given the chance to explain the reasons for their poor performance, in writing and/or in an interview with the Committee. The Committee is first and foremost concerned with the problems the student may have faced during the year and what they propose to do about these problems to ensure that they do not recur.
The outcome of the Unsatisfactory Progress Committee's review will depend very much on the nature and degree of the 'unsatisfactory progress', the legitimacy of the problems, the submission they make to the committee, and the extent to which the student can demonstrate that they can overcome the problems that have affected their study.
In some cases the Unsatisfactory Progress Committee will allow the student to continue with their enrolment, repeating failed subjects where appropriate. The Committee may enforce a number of restrictions on enrolment, including limiting the number of points studied in any one year, and in some cases recommend to the University's Academic Board that the student be suspended from the course.
If the student is suspended from the course, they will not be re-admitted until they have demonstrated academic rehabilitation by successfully completing other tertiary studies.
The Faculty of Engineering is at the forefront of engineering education and research in Australia and is continually seeking to foster and develop engineering creativity through design and innovation.
The Faculty of Engineering has an increasing number of postgraduate courses being offered, including the Master of Manufacturing Studies, the Master of Computer Science and the Master of Engineering Science and the Master of Applied Science, the latter two in the areas of Development Technologies, Hydrogeology, Environmental Engineering, Cognitive Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Civil Engineering and Computer Science. The Department of Geomatics (including the Geographic Information Systems Centre) offers a Graduate Diploma and Masters program.
The Faculty has established Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma programs particularly in Environmental Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Development Technologies and Software and Computer Engineering.
The list of postgraduate courses you might wish to consider after completing your undergraduate degree is varied and growing. The course requirements are set out in the Faculty of Engineering Research and Graduate Programs Handbook.
Engineering graduates from the University of Melbourne find interesting and varied employment, reflecting the breadth and value of the courses offered and the University's close links with industry, especially in manufacturing. A recent survey of University of Melbourne graduate career destinations shows that, despite an expected downturn due to the economic recession, there was a broad range of industries in which engineering respondents were employed in their first year as graduates in the work force.
Fields in which graduates were employed included: aeronautical research; drainage and water supply; environmental engineering; process and design for on- and off-shore refineries; oil exploration; equipment design and safety testing; supervising manufacturing production and operations; construction; project management; system design and computer programming; research and design for civil and mining structures; commercial building; road and bridge infrastructure; quality control; telecommunications research; retail and consulting; technical training; marketing and market analysis; futures trading; and teaching, the food industry, pharmaceutical industry, mineral processing and extractive metallurgy industry, and the plastics industry.
Chemical engineering graduates with a BE degree have found positions in the extractive metallurgy and mineral industries, chemical industries, paper and food industries, petrochemical and oil industries, and as environmental engineers in waste prevention and treatment. In addition, graduates were employed in commerce and non-engineering related positions.
Civil graduates with a BE degree were employed as civil, structural, and design engineers, geotechnical engineers, traffic engineers, transport planning engineers and site supervisors.
Electrical and computer engineering graduates with a BE degree were employed as electrical, electronic, control systems, and design engineers, computer systems administrators, biomedical engineers, telecommunications engineers, project and laboratory managers, specialist sales engineers, consulting engineers, and consultants on implementation of business solutions.
Software Engineering graduates with a BE degree are in demand in most sectors, including the telecommunications industry, manufacturing, and finance, as well as in the specialised software industry. There is also considerable international demand for graduates with software engineering skills.
Environmental engineers with a BE degree from the University of Melbourne have careers in the application of engineering technology to the management of water and land resources. Typical employers are consultants, government authorities and research institutions.
Mechanical and manufacturing graduates with a BE degree were employed as manufacturing and process engineers (including a bicycle frame designer), a marketing engineer, a manufacturing design engineer, an operations coordinator, an aeronautics researcher, an installation designer for sub-sea equipment, a researcher in biomechanics, a modeller of air pollution sources, and an ergonomics engineer.
Computer Science graduates are employed as programmers, research scientists, consultants, and systems engineers. Employers include government and private organisations.
Modern geomatics professionals are employed in such fields as computerised mapping; satellite remote sensing for environmental monitoring; precise satellite positioning and navigation; land development and computer-based land information systems; cadastral surveying; utility management through geographical information systems; precise surveying for engineering construction; natural resource mapping and management; environmental planning; and industrial measurement using machine and robot vision systems.
Postgraduate respondents to the survey who were in their first job were employed in the following areas: management, planning and industrial relations; design of aviation software, architectural hardware and lighting; and as a university lecturer. One graduate was employed as a technical supervisor of survey projects.
The Bachelor of Engineering is a four year full-time course. The degree is offered in the Departments of Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Full-time BE degree course students take approximately a quarter of their workload for the degree each year for four years. Within limits and with approval, more or less than 100 credit points may be earned in any one year. To be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Engineering, students must normally have passed 400 points.
This course has as its objectives that graduates:
The Bachelor of Geomatics is a four-year full-time course. Full-time BGeom degree course students take approximately a quarter of their workload for the degree each year for four years. Within limits and with approval, more or less than 100 credit points may be earned in any one year. To be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Geomatics, students must normally have passed 400 points.
The course objectives are that graduates:
The Bachelor of Computer Science is a three-year full-time degree or six-year part-time degree comprising a total of 300 credit points. Full-time students take approximately a third of their workload for the degree each year for three years. Within limits and with Faculty approval, more or less than 100 credit points may be earned in any one year. The course involves core studies in Computer Science, Mathematics and other discipline areas at 100-level, 200-level, and 300-level as specified by the Department of Computer Science. The degree specifies no more than 125 points of 100-level studies, at least 20 points of non-technical studies and no more than 60 points of studies from outside the Faculties of Science and Engineering.
The course objectives are that graduates have:
There are ten combined courses within the Faculty including the five-year engineering programs BE/BSc Engineering/Science, BSc/BE Science/Engineering, BE/BCom Engineering/Commerce, BE/BCS Mechatronics (Mechanical Engineering/Computer Science), BA/BE Arts/Engineering and the six-year LLB/BE Law/Engineering degree. There are also three Geomatics combined programs within the Faculty. Five-year programs include BGeom/BSc Geomatics/Science, BA/BGeom Arts/Geomatics, BGeom/BIS Geomatics/Information Systems, and the six-year LLB/BGeom Law/Geomatics degree.
Combined degrees are different from single degrees because students must meet the requirements of two faculties. Students take a combination of subjects from both faculties in first year and must complete a minimum number of points to achieve the two degrees.
In many combined courses an overload in later years is required to complete within five years. The situation is often mitigated in Engineering/Science courses as some science subjects can also be counted as compulsory core for the engineering degree (for example Science Mathematics instead of Engineering Mathematics). An explanation of course structures and objectives for these courses are explained below.
To satisfy course requirements students must:
Within this distribution, 50 points at 100-level, 66 points at 200-level and 50 points at 300-level must come from departments within the Faculty of Arts, not departments from other faculties which offer subjects to Arts students.
The course objectives are that graduates:
The BE/BCom course aims to develop skills in critical analysis and professional competence in the areas of accounting, finance, actuarial studies, economics, business development and corporate history, business law, industrial relations, management, money and banking and finance; and provides a professional education in one of environmental, chemical civil, electrical & electronic, computer, software, mechanical and manufacturing engineering. The first two years of this combined course would normally consist of compulsory engineering subjects and electives, and compulsory commerce subjects. Compulsory engineering subjects and electives in the third to fifth years and commerce subjects to total 200 points for the Bachelor of Commerce.
By the end of the equivalent of three full-time years, students in these courses are to have:
Students normally complete compulsory commerce units in the first two years. The compulsory commerce units are:
First year
Second year
The course objectives are that graduates:
see Objectives
Students enrolled in the BE/BSc combined course will undertake studies toward a science degree and professional studies in either civil, chemical, environmental or mechanical and manufacturing engineering.
Students completing the BE/BSc combined course must accumulate a minimum total of 500 points. Within the 500 points, students must ensure that they satisfy the minimum requirements for the BSc component. Students must also complete all requirements of the chosen stream of the BE.
A minimum of 237.5 science points are required, which must include:
Note that:
All requirements of the chosen stream of the BE course must be satisfied and are detailed in the departmental entries that follow.
The course objectives are that graduates have:
Students enrolled in the BSc/BE will undertake studies towards a Science degree and an engineering degree with a specialisation in electrical and electronic engineering, computer engineering or software engineering. Students completing the BSc/BE combined course must accumulate a minimum of 500 points.
All requirements of the chosen stream of the BE course must be satisfied, including the non-technical content. Details of requirements are contained in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science entry that follows.
The requirements of the BSc component of the BSc/BE combined course are identical to those for the BSc component of the BSc/BE combined course, see Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Science (BE/BSc) for details.
The course objectives are that graduates have:
The BE(Mechatronics)/BCS degree course provides professional education in mechanical, manufacturing, electronics and computer engineering necessary for the design and development of 'intelligent' products and systems. This is facilitated through linkages with the Advanced Engineering Centre for Manufacturing, but is founded on the programs in the relevant departments.
The first year is a combination of the foundation subjects in mechanical, manufacturing and electrical engineering and computer science. These are developed further in later years and integrated by way of mechatronics design and laboratory subjects. The breadth of the foundation of the course results in electives being confined to later years. At least 200 points are from the BCS course in a total minimum points of 530.
The course objectives are that graduates have:
To satisfy course requirements students must:
Within this distribution, 50 points at 100-level, 66 points at 200-level and 50 points at 300-level must come from departments within the Faculty of Arts, not departments from other faculties which offer subjects to Arts students.
The course objectives are that graduates:
Students enrolled in the BSc/BGeom combined course will undertake Geomatics subjects in the areas of measurements science, the mapping sciences, spatial and geographic information systems, and land management, as well as the fundamental areas of mathematics, computer science, and professional studies. Students completing the BSc/BGeom combined course must accumulate a minimum total of 500 points. All requirements of the BGeom must be satisfied. Details of the requirements are contained in the Geomatics departmental entry that follows.
The requirements of the BSc component are identical to those detailed for the BSc component of the BE/BSc course, see Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Science (BE/BSc) for details.
The course objectives are that graduates have:
The combined BGeom/BIS degree course will provide a course of study for students who want to both understand information systems and develop their knowledge of spatial information science and technology.
Students completing the BGeom/BIS combined course must complete a minimum of 526 points. All requirements of the BGeom must be satisfied. Details of the requirements are contained in the Geomatics departmental entry that follows.
To complete the BIS component of the combined BGeom/BIS degree:
Students must complete at least 212.5 points of Informations Systems (subjects carrying a 615 prefix), including the "core subjects" of the Bachelor of Information Systems degree, or approved alternates.
In no case may students receive credit for both a core subject and its alternate.
The course objectives are that graduates have:
This course is available to students who have met the entry requirements for both faculties. Contact either faculty for more information.
Each first year of the BE and BGeom courses consists of the equivalent of 14 units. A unit consists of 39 hours of student contact (three hours per week) and carries 7.1 points. A full load of 14 units carries a total of 100 points. Subjects are given as either single or double units.
Courses in the various engineering disciplines are made up of 'compulsory core' subjects complemented with elective or optional subjects. To a large degree, the subjects making up the later years of the courses are part of the compulsory core and therefore prescribed.
In first year, however, although a significant amount of core material must be taken, there is more flexibility in choosing subjects. This means that if you are unsure of which stream of engineering you wish to study, you can leave your options open by taking a set of 'general' subjects in semester one. For some branches of engineering a set of 'general' subjects in semester two can also be taken and so allow you to delay your choice of discipline until second year.
Alternatively, if you have clearly decided which stream of engineering you will follow, the department will recommend an appropriate set of subjects. You will find these listed in the relevant departmental sections to follow.
All first-year engineering courses require students to take the equivalent of four units of Mathematics. There are two streams of study available in Mathematics. The combination of the subjects (double units) 620-171 Mathematics 1P and 620-172 Mathematics 1Q make up the advanced stream while the standard stream consists of the subjects 620-181 Mathematics 1R and 620-182 Mathematics 1S. The Mathematics and Statistics Department's Director of First-year Studies (Dr Barrington) will advise incoming students as to which stream should be selected. Entry to the more advanced subjects 620-171 and 620-172 requires his permission. Both streams satisfy all prerequisites required for second year subjects. Students taking the advanced Mathematics stream are able to take more optional subjects or more advanced Mathematics in the second year of their course.
The Department of Mathematics and Statistics, have established a First-year Learning Centre through which teaching and administration of its first-year subjects is coordinated. This centre is located on the ground floor of the Richard Berry Building. Near this centre students will find notice-boards relevant to first year, boxes for the submission of assignments, and the room from which printed material is usually distributed. Within the centre are the office of the Mathematics and Statistics Department's Director of First-year Studies (Dr Barrington), offices of tutors in Mathematics and Statistics, tutorial rooms, a student waiting area, and a consultation room.
| General course (if undecided between Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical and Manufacturing and Software Engineering) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester one | Points | |
| 421-150 Introduction to Engineering Management | 7.1 | |
| or | ||
| 436-105 Engineering Communications | 7.1 | |
| 433-141 Computing Fundamentals A | 14.2 | |
| 620-171 Mathematics 1P | 14.2 | |
| or | ||
| 620-181 Mathematics 1R | 14.2 | |
| 640-005 Physics 1A (Engineering Course) | 14.2 | |
| General course (if undecided between Chemical, Civil, Environmental, Mechanical and Manufacturing) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester one | Points | |
| 421-150 Introduction to Engineering Management | 7.1 | |
| or | ||
| 436-105 Engineering Communications | 7.1 | |
| 421-103 Engineering Statics | 7.1 | |
| or | ||
| 436-103 Engineering Mechanics | 7.1 | |
| 433-161 Introduction to Programming A | 7.1 | |
| 620-171 Mathematics 1P | 14.2 | |
| or | ||
| 620-181 Mathematics 1R | 14.2 | |
| 610-141 Chemistry | 14.2 | |
For students who have taken a 'general' set of subjects in semester one, advice will be given at the end of the semester on the recommended subjects for semester two for each of the streams of engineering.
The General Manager, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052 Victoria, Australia.
Tel. Undergraduate +613 9344 6703, Graduate +613 9344 4942
Email: engineering.queries@engineering.unimelb.edu.au
Search : Index : Faculty of Engineering
Status: Official 1998 Last Modified: Tuesday October 21 17:10 SGML to HTML Conversion: Information Technology Services Authorised by: Academic Registrar Email Enquiries: Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au